A Candy Candy Christmas Carol
by Mallory Quinn
Summary: Here is fic based on Charles Dickens' classic story. This is a group fic, enjoy! Reviews please! Happy Holidays!
1. Chapter 1

**A** **Candy Candy ****Christmas** **Carol  
****(A Group Fanfiction)**

**Chapter 1  
_by Lady Gato_**

_Life is a series of happenings and events, all interconnected with each other, for the actions of one individual will influence the outcomes of another. Yet when a person decides to live selfishly instead of minding the greater good of all, they may find themselves on a path that will ultimately find them living their days in sadness and sorrow, incomplete... unless they decide to change...._

Suzanne Marlowe sat in her wheelchair, shifting her weight a little, to try to stave the future discomfort of sitting improperly settled in. Her amputated leg was giving her trouble as of late. Her fiancé Terrence Grantchester, ever mindful of her health, had taken her to her physician.

The doctor cleared his throat. "I am sorry to break this news to you, but unless you get out of that wheelchair and use a prosthesis, the course has been set already... your body is atrophying in this area, the nerves are starting to deaden... sitting long hours in the wheelchair only makes it worse..."

"You have mud in your ears, Doctor?" she shrilled, not wanting to hear his opinion. "How many times have I told you that I know I cannot walk anymore... I don't want to use a prosthesis!!" She tried to hide the hint of desperation, for she knew the slight hold she had on her fiancé was because she was so dependent on him for everything. Being upright again, with a prosthesis, would signal the sort of independence she did not want to display. "This is Christmas Eve, I should not be upset like this by your mendacity!!"

"Suzanne, listen to reason..." his English velvet voice gently tried to coax her, his hand on hers trying to give her strength.

She disdainfully removed Terrence's hand from hers. "Why won't anybody listen to ME!!! I don't want it!! Nobody cares about what I want!!!"

"Suzanne, you know that I..." he started.

"Of course you don't care for what I want, you are just trying to figure out how to leave me... you don't care... after I gave my life for you!!!" she wailed.

"Suzanne, you know that I chose you..." he said in a quiet voice, the corners of his eyes pained. "We will get through this together... but I don't want to have you suffer anymore..."

"I won't do it!! No!!! Now take me home!!!" she commanded, having heard enough.

The doctor and Terrence exchanged a look. Terry knew the Doctor was right, but who could talk his fiancé into otherwise? She refused to see the inevitable truth.

"Now, take me Christmas shopping to Bloomingdale's. I want to decorate our flat!!" she said, once they were outside. "I need some cheering up!!!"

"Suzanne, I have final dress rehearsals today, before the 9pm performance tonight, you know that..." he reminded her.

She gave an imperious toss of her head. "Humph! You can quote Dicken's backwards in your sleep! You are Robert's star moneymaker. He should know that I need you more. What's your worry Terry. You have played that Bob Cratchit role for the last 2 years now. Besides, wouldn't you want to spend your afternoon with me instead, after I have been so sorely upset with that stupid doctor today??? You have the performance tonight, what's your worry?"

"Very well, Suzanne, what ever you say... I'll send a message to Robert..." he acquiesced.

The New York snowfall somehow seemed chillier to him than usual, and he looked up into the gray sky for a moment.

No, nothing could be as cold to him as that unexpected snowfall in New York, so many years ago...


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2  
**_**by Mallory Quinn  
**_

Suzanne was alone in her mansion, feeling miserable and cursing everybody. Terry went to his rehearsal and he refused to stay with her on this Christmas Eve. She was sulking. She had saved him and lost her leg. Terry should've been kissing her feet all day long... and that doctor insisted she get a prosthesis! She wanted to stay the victim in all this. If she was able to walk, Terry would get rid of her… She had wanted Terry since the first time she saw him that day at the theatre. It was snowing like tonight… She had Terry; she was engaged to Terry, but he didn't seem to share her joy. What did she expect? She knew he was in love with another girl. She was just hoping it would chance with time, but nothing was happening so she started to get bitter, bitter and bitter…

There was a ring at the door. She managed to get her wheel chair to the door. Terry had made the necessary changes to their house for her to be able to move around freely. She opened the door and it was a group of children with a young woman behind them. They started singing:

_Deck the halls with boughs of holly,  
Fa la la la la, la la la la.  
Tis the season to be jolly,  
Fa la la la la, la la la la_

The young woman was Patricia. She was taking them door to door to sing Christmas carols and be happy and bring some joy during the holidays. She was singing with them, but…

Suzanne was not happy to see the children singing a song that was saying it was the season to be jolly. She was not jolly. She was miserable.

- WOULD YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTHS, ALL OF YOU???!!!! GET OUT OF HERE! DID I TELL YOU I WANTED TO BE JOLLY?

The children were frightened. Some of them the smaller ones started to cry. Patricia was upset.

- What the hell is the matter with you? They're only children, singing for the season!!!

- I didn't ask you for anything! I have everything I need, now get lost! Yelled Suzanne

- Come children, said Patricia, let's get out of here, this is a female Ebenezer Scrooge!

- Bah Humbug!!! Yelled the children at the same time.

- Bah Humbug yourself!!! Said Suzanne angry closing the door.

"_Why is that damn story by Dickens ruining my day today. First Terry abandons me on Christmas Eve for that stupid play, and now those damn kids!!!"_

The children left with Patricia.

- Merry Christmas, she said, leaving.

Suzanne was tired so she went to her bedroom which was on the main floor because of her wheel chair. She managed to put herself to bed alone, since it was Christmas Eve and the staff had the day off to celebrate Christmas. The bedroom was big with a canopy bed way too big for her. She was hoping to share it with Terry soon, as soon as they were married or before that if she managed to convince him to make her his before the marriage. But her fiancé was such a gentleman, it wasn't even funny. What could she say to a man who was respecting her? That she didn't want any respect, she wanted to be treated like a prostitute?

After a lot of effort, which made her angrier, she was finally lying on the bed. She was agitated and she finally managed to fall asleep after a little while.

While she was asleep, she had a dream. It was a beautiful dream. She was young girl having fun with her friends in the field and a very special boy… Jacob… Jacob Layne…

- Jacob! She said smiling, wait for me…

- Why? He said, you can't walk! You're on a wheel chair…

The field became her house…

- But you can push me…

- Why should I, when you can do it yourself or even better walk with a prosthesis!

- But I lost my leg…

- It's not the end of the world! At least you're still alive! Unlike some of us.

- Jacob… I… I missed you so much.

- Suzanne, what happened to you? You were such a happy little girl.

- I lost my leg…

- Once again, not the end of the world…

- Jacob…

- I'm here to tell you to expect some visitors.

- Visitors? What kind of visitors?

- Don't worry, you'll know them when you see them… I'm just warning you and please Suzanne, heed my call, heed their call… you'll be happier… bye Suzanne.

- Jacob! Wait! Jacob!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jacob was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3  
**_**by Lady Gato**_

Suzanne tossed and turned uneasily in her bed. She had not thought of Jacob in years, and now he came to haunt her?

A memory crept into her mind, a memory of years past, when she and Jacob had been schoolmates. Both had discovered a love of theatre and would spend recesses poring over Shakespeare and learning lines. They both coached each other and gave constructive criticism. Eventually, their camaraderie and friendship had turned to love, which they both secretly enjoyed.

"You will be the best actress on Broadway, one day..." he had said, once after kissing her. He had moved a tendril of hair away from her face.

"Even better than the great Eleanor Baker?" she coyly asked.

"Yes, even better than her... of the two us, you are the better actor, even I have to admit that..." he smiled, adoring her.

"We will triumph together!! Nobody is as good as you, Jacob!" she declared, as they embraced and rejoined their sweet pecks of love.

They had decided to audition for the school play and had secured the leads, something that deliciously drew them even closer. Yet they managed to keep their love a secret. They were afraid of being separated, à la Romeo and Juliet.

Sometimes, between acts, they would go hide up in the theatre's catwalks, and talk their intimacies. Jacob however would be the instigator. Suzanne was more apprehensive.

"I don't know Jacob, we shouldn't be up here... this equipment is dangerous..."

"Pshaw, Suzanne, it makes it more exciting..." he would assure her.

Sadly, Suzanne's apprehension one day came to full realization, when a badly secured catwalk had given way and Jacob had fallen to his death. From that day, Suzanne had lost some of her sunniest, which had tempered her obstinate, demanding personality. She had been sober and somber, up until she had encountered the sapphire eyes with the velvet voice that had managed to capture her heart. Jacob had become history for her, at that moment, only a faint happy memory that she had let go of and rarely visited.

"Leave me be, Jacob, what's done is done... this is my life now... nothing is going to make me change..." she dared out loud, pulling the cover closer to her, turning over to go to sleep.

At the moment she uttered this, she inhaled a profuse, deep smell of roses, as if she was in the middle of a rose garden in full bloom. Startled, she opened her eyes and was surprised to see a boy there, angelic and fair.

"Who... what?" she gasped, her heart racing.

"Don't be afraid, Suzanne Marlowe... I am Anthony Brown, the spirit of Christmas past..." he smiled gently, introducing himself.

Chapter 4


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4  
**_**by Candylyna**_

Suzanne looked at the spirit speechless.

- The spirit of Christmas past? She repeated, what the hell do you want?!

- Jacob did tell you to expect some visits, didn't he? Said Anthony.

- Spirits? That's the visit he was talking about? Well a message from a ghost, what did I expect? It could only be another ghost! Figures!

- I'm going to take you to the past, so you can see what you set in motion.

- What I set in motion?

- Yes, what made you what you are now… said Anthony.

There was a windy sound and some fog. She saw Candy happy with him…

- Oh my God! That's Candy, with you! She said looking at him.

- Yes…

- You were with Candy?

- Yes, I loved her very much.

- And she loved you too… said Suzanne. Was that before she met Terry?

- Yes…

- And you die… so if you hadn't died…

- I might still be with Candy.

- "Might"?

- Yes, might, because she loves Terry very much.

- She would've stayed with you. I'm sure of it and Terry would've been available…

- Maybe…

- Maybe…?

They were now watching Candy and Terry's first meeting. They heard Candy's thoughts. She thought Terry looked like Anthony…

- She thought Terry was you?

- From behind only…

- Maybe she transferred her feelings for you to him… it wasn't real love, that's why she left him to me so easily…

- Suzanne… said Anthony shaking her head, just continue watching.

They watched and they saw how Candy and Terry were starting to get closer and closer and how he helped her get over her fear for horses and move on, leaving Anthony behind…

- He actually forced her to move on? She said surprised, he wanted her that much?

- He loved her… said Anthony.

- It doesn't bother you?

- I wasn't there anymore, I was happy she was moving on. I want her to be happy…that's why I'm here…

- You're here for Candy???!!! Figures! She always out stage me!

- Let's continue watching them…

They watched the rest…The kissing-slapping-slapping-slapping, brought a big smile to Suzanne's lips.

- She slapped him! I told you she didn't love him!

- He loved, and she loved him, she was just a little confused…

- You're defending her kiss to another boy?? Right! You want her to be happy! You're weird!

Anthony didn't respond and they continued watching how Terry sacrificed himself and left, how she followed him yelling she loved him… Even Suzanne felt their intense feelings for each other… The return in America, the missed meeting at the Pony hill, and the King Lear… how Terry was looking at where Candy was, without seeing her on stage, how he heard her call his name in the crowd… how he went looking for her, how she lied to Candy, and why Terry stayed a the door waiting for Candy and the glimpse they caught of each other… Suzanne was devastated, because she thought at that time that Terry was in love with her… but he only had one woman in his mind--Candy…

- He was so happy after that when he came back in the train, he even talked to me nicely… it was because of her!!! Oh my God! I was so stupid! All that time I though we had something. How delusional was I? He only loved one woman, that's Candy! I made all that play for him for nothing.

They watched as Terry was rejecting her attention each and every time she tried to befriend him…

- Oh my God, I had no idea he hated me, how could I have taken all that rejection?

- Well, you were blinded by your love for him…

- Love? I look like an obsessed fan! Oh my God!

- I was trying to be nice, said Anthony, but yes you were obsessed with Terry!

Suzanne was feeling sad. She saw how Candy and Terry were writing each other, how excited they were to finally be together at the premiere… her accident, how her mother played on Terry's guilt… How devastated Terry was to be force to be with her. How torn he was when Candy arrived and he couldn't fully enjoyed her presence because of his guilt over her… She was feeling Terry's pain. She saw the stair separation and she was crying… had she known how much Terry loved Candy, she would've refused for him to be with her.

- I was just a charity case, an obligation! No wonder he's so cold to me… I feel like such a burden… forcing him to take care of me, I can feel his pain, that's unbearable.

They saw how he's fall into alcohol… and how the view of Candy sobered him up and made him go back to her…

- So Candy put him back on track? Candy?

She was hurt, devastated… Candy, it all came back to Candy… he was in America because of Candy, he was passionate for the theatre living his dream to be with Candy, he became a drunk, because he missed Candy and he came back to her because he saw Candy!!!!

There was wind and they were back in her room.

- My job is done, said Anthony, think about what I just show you. Think about your life…

- Is that all?

- You'll get another visit… Goodbye Suzanne…

- Goodbye Anthony…

Anthony disappeared. There was another wind chill and a man was in front of her. She had a little scream when she saw him…

- Aah!

- Hello Suzanne Marlowe, I'm the spirit of Christmas present.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5  
**_**by Liberty**_

Susanna was still surprised and frightened. She couldn't believe what had just happened to her. The ghost of a dead young boy who was so close to Candy…

_"Candy, Candy, Candy…It's always her. HER!! Candy this, Candy that!! I can't take it anymore! And these dreams!!! I won't change my mind for some stupid dreams and nightmares. It's because I'm alone at this time of year. Terry preferred to leave me… But I won't change my mind! Terry is mine, he is with me, he chose to be with me!"_

Susanna was ready to fall asleep once again, when she noticed something on her pillow.

_"What is this?" she said to herself and grabbed it but the rose's thorns hurt her fingers. "Ouch! A rose? But how did this rose end up on my pillow? A white rose…It's like those roses the ghost showed to me earlier."_

Susanna threw the flower down scared. she became white from the panic and she was ready to scream, because now she had realized that the previous "voyage" to the past was not a dream or a nightmare after all. It was for real. Trying to hold herself together she tried not to fall asleep, waiting for something new, but she fell asleep and then a distant voice was heard from behind her.

- Hello Susanna…

- Aah!

- Hello Susanna Marlowe, I'm the spirit of Christmas present.

- Go away!! Why you torture me like this? And who are you? The ghost of Christmas present was a cute old man who was wearing a white gown.

- I'm Mr. Macgregor…

- Mr. Macgregor? I haven't heard you before. Who are you?

- The point is not who am I but what I will do. I will help you understand Susanna. I'm here to show you how things are, not how they used to or how they will.

- And what if I don't want to come with you?

- Are you sure that you don't want to?

- All right, all right, fine I will. Susanna said unwillingly.

The ghost hugged her and when Susanna opened her eyes it was like they were flying over the New York City, she was ready to scream but for some reason she was feeling peaceful.  
Macgregor's ghost stopped over a hospital and Susanna was able to see from the window. A young, sweet nurse with blonde hair caught up in a bun and freckles on her nose. She couldn't see her eyes but she understood who she was. It was her! It was Candy… She looked older than she was that day at the hospital when she left Terry. She could recognize her smile.

- What are we doing here?

- Just watch Susanna, watch and you'll see… Macgregor said and showed her Candy once again.

Candy was taking care the wounded men from the war. She was laughing to the wounded men trying to make them feel better. She was reading to them their letters from their families and their beloved ones. She looked happy but her eyes were saying the contrary. She was there for everyone but no one was there for her. After a while her shift was over and Candy was in her room. The ghost guided Susanna so she could still see and hear Candy's voice. Candy wore her robe and sat down in her desk. She opened a drawer and took some letters from there… There, all alone, she started reading those letters with the help of a candle's weak light… Candy's eyes were filled with warm tears running down her cheeks. Susanna was able to see the name that she was mentioning in her letters, it was Terry.

- But…Those letters…Have never been mailed!! Susanna said. Then Candy was reading the last letter and she was looking at a one way ticket to New York. I know this letter, Susanna said sadly, it's from that day, and she remembered how she lost her leg and all the events that followed. Candy looks so depressed, but why? Mr. Macgregor tell me! She was the one who decided to leave Terry to me and now what? She is so sad? It was her decision to take.

- Susanna, Candy did this because she didn't want people be sad. She has known sadness from a very young age. She never had a mother or a family. She was always on her own. And yet she always wanted to help people so they could be happy.

- But…

- I was a stubborn old man and she helped me. She was like a daughter to me.

Candy then started crying again and she put the letters aside. "Oh, Terry I miss you so much! Why was life so cruel on both of us? Why? I loved you so much and I still am. After Stear's death… I hope you are happy Terry and that your dream to become a great actor is becoming true, day after day. You said so those wonderful days at Scotland. When we were just kids, without responsibilities and suffering. I love the memory of these days Terry, your smile, your eyes, your spirit. The sun looked so bright and warm that summer. Now, I can't even get frustrated at the memory of our first and only kiss. I hope you are fine…" Candy turned off the candle.

- Candy…she still is in love with Terry. She suffers a lot…Susanna said with a weak voice.

- Come on we have to leave now from here.

- Mr. Macgregor where are we going now?

- You'll see…

Now they were over New York city again at Broadway…

- Wait! I know this theater. This is where Terry is rehearsing. What's the meaning of this?  
- You saw Candy's side of the story. Now you have to see Terry's too. What he thinks when he's all alone…

- The only thing that I see now is that Terry is rehearsing for once more that stupid role that knows by heart already. He is always saying excuses so he won't be with me.

They followed Terry is his dressing room. There were some flowers on a small table and Terry sat on an armchair. He opened one of his drawers. A pack of letters was in his hands.

- Letters to Candy that he has never mailed, Susanna whispered. So that was your cause? To show me that Terry is still in love with Candy? As if I didn't know that. Susanna said frustrated.

- Look Susanna… Terry was holding a shiny little object in his hands. A harmonica.

- This is her gift to him, from when they were at that college. I thought he had lost this.

Terry put the harmonica on his lips…A sweet, melancholic melody came out of the instrument, and a tear run down his cheek. Alone, in his dressing room, Terry was there with his own ghosts of his past. He seemed exhausted and for the first time Susanna noticed that his eyes didn't shine like they used to when she had first met him.

- He is sad. Because he isn't with her… The ghost nodded. But I love him so much, can't he see that?

- He knows it Susanna, that's why he is with you. But his heart…

- Belongs to her. I know… Suddenly the melody stopped. Terry sighed "Candy" and put the letters and the harmonica back in his drawer. "I should have never left college without you… Now look at us. At least I hope you are happy, Miss Freckles…"

"Miss Freckles", that is the nickname that he called her with. Susanna said. The ghost took her and they were ready to leave the theater when Susanna heard some women talking…

- Well, it's obvious that he doesn't love her. I mean how can someone be in love with a weak creature like her?

- What do you mean?

- Well she is such a wimp!! She could have put on a prosthesis like Sarah Bernard…

- Oh yes…She was a good actress but…

- She wants to depend on Terry. Did you hear the rumors?

- Rumors? What rumors?

- That Terry was in love with another woman and she separated them?

- No, but that must have been terrible!

- Yes, and now the only thing that Susanna do is crying and begging and refusing to help herself. Terry looks so tired…

- Uh-huh…

- Mr. Macgregor?... Can we just leave please? I can't hear any more… Susanna said with a tear rolling down her cheek.

- All right… They were back to Susanna's room. When she sat down on her bed Macgregor's ghost pulled on his gown and two little children were there. They looked so sick and tired, without rosy cheeks… They were frightened by Susanna's presence…

- Oh my God! They look terrible. What happened to them?

- These are two spirits Susanna. They are spirits created by you. The one at my right is "Want" and the other one on my left is "Desire".

- These are my wants and desires?

- Yes…

- And why do they look so sick and tired?

- Because your desire wasn't healthy and you wanted Terry so desperately that you destroyed two lives. You also don't want to stand on your own feet again…

- I know, I can understand. Please leave me alone…

- All right, but before I go you should know…

- What? What else is there for me to know?

- The third ghost is coming for you…It's the ghost of the Christmas to come… Good Bye Susanna.

- Good Bye Mr. Macgregor and… thanks… Susanna looked at him when she thanked him but there was no one there. Neither him nor the two spirits….


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6  
**_**by Eleanor**_

Susanna slammed back on her pillows and stared at the ceiling, disgruntled. Mr. McGregor said there was a Spirit yet to come, but now that the apparitions were not there, it was somehow difficult to feel intimidated by them or by what they showed her. Well, OK maybe Candy didn't have it easy and maybe she was still suffering from loosing Terry but at the end of the day she was the heiress of the wealthiest family in America, she had her job and all her limbs in tact so she could easily rebuilt her life and find someone else to fall in love with. After all she had not exhibited any difficulties in falling in love with Terry mere months after the death of that Anthony guy, did she?

_"Well, that alone says something about dear Candy, doesn't it?" she thought, with such a mean smile, a casual onlooker would have had difficulty attributing to her, and would have been astonished at the effect it produced on her otherwise angelic face._

In contrast to Candy, she had lost her leg and her career, and even if she would get a prosthetic leg as everyone was so eager for her to do, even if she managed to rebuild her acting career, her way of life will never again be as normal as it was before the accident. She had lost everything and she had lost it all to save Terry's life – _because she loved him;_ Terry, who ungratefully not only did not love her but didn't even try to hide the fact that he did not love her; who, under yet another excuse of a rehearsal he did not need, had left her alone this Christmas Eve making it possible for all kind of Ghosts, Phantoms and Apparitions to parade in her bedroom and show her how happy he had been with his precious Candy, how much he still loved his precious Candy and how unhappy he was without his precious Candy!

Susanna turned on her side and pummeled her pillow a few times in frustration. It was astonishing to her that everyone around her, dead or alive, seemed to have forgotten that she, Susanna, was the victim in this story and not precious Candy; and that everyone around her, dead or alive, seemed to be conspiring against her: the alive ones wanted her to get a prosthetic leg and become independent again something that would lead Terry to leave her and return to Candy in the blink of an eye and the dead ones… well, they all – with the exception of Jacob – seemed to be Candy's 'friends', of course they wanted her to get Terry and they were targeting her, Susanna in order to achieve it! Well, hell if she was going to allow this to happen! "Terry is mine!" she thought stubbornly. "He is with me, she _left _him to me and he _chose _to be with me! And even if he does not love me now, he will love me in time! He will forget her one day, and that day I will be here for him, because I can wait for him forever if I have to!"

The conversation she had overheard in her visit to Terry's dressing room with the last Spirit came to her mind then. Frankly, she had been quite shaken to hear those silly girls, who under delusions of grandeur were calling themselves actresses, talk about her as if she was some devious, egoistic, weak person who used her handicap in order to get what she wanted, namely Terry. But, what the hell did they know about her and how she felt anyway? They probably had never loved in their sordid lives as much as she had loved her Terry!

A noise came from the hallway outside her bedroom and she sat up in her bed abruptly. "Terry…! He is home at last!" she thought and her face lit up. Perhaps, if she is a little sweet to him maybe this Christmas Eve will end up being one to remember! With a hopeful look on her face she threw the covers off her and was working on getting on her wheelchair when through the closed door, the figure of a young man entered her bedroom. The smile fainted from her face when she realized that whoever he was he had entered _through _the closed door! And there was the little issue of his transparency to consider. Not to mention the fine mist that surrounded him.

No, this was not her beloved… Terry was very solid, the only think that surrounded him was a fine scent of cinnamon and frankincense and he had made it clear he wouldn't come to her bedroom even through an open door let alone a closed one! Susanna was sure she was looking at the Spirit of Christmases to come.

"Hello Susanna" he said simply.

"And… you are?"

"My name is Alistair Cornwell and…"

"Oh, I remember your name! Terry read in the paper a few months ago about you getting killed in the war! He was really upset about it, too! And wouldn't you know?" she added crossing her arms over her chest. "You are a relative of Candy! What a surprise!"

"I was her cousin", he said simply again.

"And I guess, you are here to show me the Christmases to come" she said.

"I am indeed!"

"Well, let's get on with it then! God knows how many of them you will show me and I really need to get some sleep tonight, too!"

He shook his head sadly. "Less than a handful of them actually…" he said and a dread washed over Susanna she could not quite explain.

"What is that mean" she asked trying to keep her cool.

"All in good time" was all he said in a low voice. He touched her elbow lightly and all at once they were floating as if in a cloud. It only lasted a couple of seconds. When they were out of the cloud they were standing on a snow-covered hill with a sole tree on it and of course they were looking at precious Candy! Susanna was getting seriously tired of this and gave the Spirit a sideways look, but he only pointed at Candy.

Candy was leaning on the tree sobbing, a newspaper clutched in one of her hands. She was mumbling something through her tears and Susanna had to go really close to her to understand what it was. "Be happy, my darling, be happy…Please God, let him be happy…" she was muttering over and over again.

A sudden gust of icy wind took the newspaper from her hands and blew it straight at Susanna's foot so she was able to see the headline and the photograph that accompanied it. She instantly let out a cry of delight as she saw a photo of herself and her beloved Terrence on their wedding day. She was sitting in her wheelchair, smiling broadly her happiness evident in her face, while Terry was pushing her wheelchair and was looking… as if he would have preferred to be anywhere else but there. This thought wiped the smile of Susanna's face and she turned again to look at Candy whose body was still convulsing violently with her sobs. Susanna could not help but feel a pang in her heart watching Candy in such turmoil but she was damned if she was going to let this ruin her happiness at now knowing that she will be marrying Terry soon!

"Goodness, the way she is going, I thought someone died!" she said contemptuously.

"Her hope just did…" the Spirit whispered looking at Candy with a sad, sad look on his face that was not lost to Susanna.

"You loved her" she said studying him. It was a statement rather than a question.

"To pieces" was all he said, then touched her arm and they were once again floating in the cloud. In an instant they were back at Susanna's apartment in New York. Susanna was again delighted to see her future self sitting in her wheelchair in a splendid wedding dress looking at her handsome groom adoringly, even thought he seemed to hardly notice she was there.

"… and wasn't Mother's idea about a Christmas Eve wedding marvelous, darling?" Susanna was saying, arranging her veil around her. "This way we can spend our first Christmas tomorrow as a married couple, isn't that wonderful?"

Both Susannas were looking at Terry, who seemed to have not heard a word of what his bride had said. He drained his amber colored drink all at once then without even looking at her he made his way to the front door.

"Terry, where are you going?" Susanna asked him a note of anxiety in her voice. Terry turned and shot her a look of utter loathing and both Susannas felt like they were hit in the face with a whip. "You got what you wanted, now let me be" he said, his voice as sharp and icy as a double-edged knife. He then exited slamming the door behind him. The bride Susanna in vain screamed his name over and over again, while present Susanna brought a hand over her mouth to muffle her sobs. Neither the icy wind of the coldest winter night, nor the eerie frost coming from the out worldly entity next to her could match the chill his glacial gaze had sent to her very soul.

"He hates me…" was all she managed to say. She felt rather than realized the Spirit's touch and the floating in the cloud but when she opened her eyes she wished she had not. They were in a dimly lit bar; she could barely make out the shady characters around her from the smoke. She turned and looked at Alistair who simply pointed at someone behind her. She then turned to see Terry sitting in the bar, handing his empty glass to the barman and ordering another drink. Susanna approached him and felt a sharp pain in her chest to realize he was holding his prized harmonica in his hands. He looked at it and caressed it fondly with his fingers then closed his eyes and brought it to his lips… a few notes of the same old tune he always played on it came out of the instrument at the same time the tears escaped his eyes.

She forgot he could not hear her. "But I love you!" she sobbed trying to touch him. "I love you, Terry! Why won't you come to me and let me make you forget _her_?" It was impossible for her to control her sobs, his pain, so evident on his face, was cutting her like a knife.

"Well, handsome, here is your drink!" Susanna, turned to see a short, plum, redhead girl in an outrageously provocative dress, leaning toward him over the bar. Her appearance alone was leaving few doubts as to her profession but her next line confirmed it. "You look like you could do with some … fun company!" she said and she smiled at him in, what she probably though was, a seductive way. Susanna looked at her repulsed. Terry didn't even look at the girl but drained his drink again then leaned over the bar towards the redhead. "Hell, it is my wedding night" he spat bitterly. "I could do with some… fun company, indeed!" The girl squealed in delight and jumped over the bar next to him but Susanna did not see this because she had turned her back on the scene revolted.

"He prefers prostitutes to me… on our wedding night…" she murmured breathlessly. She was so shocked she could not even cry. "Please take me away from here… please" she begged. She felt the Spirit's gentle touch on her arm and they were again floating in the cloud. Seconds later they were back in Susanna's apartment and the scene in front of them was far from pleasant.

Susanna saw herself sitting in her wheelchair as ever crying bitterly. Terry was in the room too looking at her angrily at first, then he suddenly drained his drink and threw the glass at the wall behind her. It missed her by inches and she sobbed louder as she tried to protect herself from the flying shards of glass.

"Oh, will you _ever _stop whining?" he yelled at her his cold voice full of anger. "Whose bloody fault is it if you are suffering from pressure wounds? You are sitting on your skinny behind for the past 4 years, what the hell did you expect would happened?"

"Stop yelling at me!" she yelled back through her tears. "You are supposed to be helping me instead of getting drunk and shouting at me all the time!"

He rushed towards her and placed one hand on each arm of her chair, his face very close to hers looking so angry, she recoiled. "We seem to be having a very different idea of what kind of 'help' you need! You just want someone to push your chair around, take you to your doctors' visits and be there to satisfy every whim of yours at once! I happen to think that, all you need is encouragement to help yourself! That is all the help I am willing to offer you, take it or leave it! If you are not willing to help yourself, I give up!"

"How can you be so ungrateful? I lost everything for you, and all I asked in return was a little help but…"

"Thank goodness that was _all _you asked of me!" he said bitterly, his jaw set.

His sarcasm was not lost to Susanna. "Oh right! We reached the issue of precious Candy again…"

"You seem to have forgotten that precious Candy is the only reason I am here with you right now instead of living a happy life with her!" he said in a cold whisper, his voice shaky with anger and contempt. "Because, _she _wanted to help you too! And all you do, is sitting in that chair of yours, complaining about everything, and refusing to help yourself by regaining your life! You are so pathetic, you make me _sick_!" he spat vehemently, then turned on his heels and was out the door before she had the chance to call out to him twice.

"Candy, Candy… It's always about her!" she whispered through her tears. "_I WISH SHE WAS DEAD!!!" _she yelled suddenly, then hid her face in her hands and sobbed some more.

Susanna looked at her future self and could not help concurring with Terry's assertion that she indeed looked pathetic. She turned and looked at the Spirit who as if it had read her thoughts nodded. She lowered her head and would have started crying again had she not thought how much more pathetic it would look for both her selves to be crying at the same time.

"Come", said the spirit and the familiar now journey through the cloud occurred again. They found themselves in Central Park. It was bitterly cold and such a dense fog was covering the place, Susanna thought for a moment they were still 'traveling' in the cloud. But they were not, she was standing on solid ground and at her foot a leaf of a newspaper had been blown by a gust of freezing wind. She looked at the headline again and gasped. "Broadway's Prince no more!" A picture of a very drunk Terry being carried out of a bar was below the headline.

"This is going from bad to worse" Susanna murmured then turned to the Spirit. "Haven't I seen enough already? Can't we go home now?" she pleaded. Before he had time to answer however she heard the first notes of the familiar tune from Terry's harmonica. She turned around and started towards the direction the melody was coming from and after a few steps she saw Terry sitting at the root of a tree leaning his back on its trunk, playing the same old tune. The sadness of the tune alone was enough to bring fresh tears in Susanna's eyes but it was Terry's state and appearance that were hurting her the most. She could hardly recognize in him the handsome boy she fell in love with two years earlier.

He was thinner that ever before, his face gaunt and unshaven and with a perpetual look of sadness and anger about it; his luscious locks were cut short crudely, as if he had picked up a pair of scissors and cropped them himself during a feat of range; his mismatched clothes looked like he had been in them for days. He suddenly stopped playing and started coughing so violently his whole body was shaking. Once he managed to control it, he leaned back on the tree and stared at nothing in particular, but Susanna was shuttered to see his once sparkling ocean blue eyes, dull and evidently feverish.

"Oh, Terry…" Susanna whispered, trying to drown a sob. "He is sick…" She watched him as he brought the harmonica back to his lips but he only rested it there this time, he did not play. He closed his eyes and Susanna heard him whispering.

"_Where are you, Freckles? What are you doing right now? Are you happy? Oh, how I wish I could see you, my angel… just once…!"_

The palpable longing in his weak voice and the tears that run down his face, broke Susanna's heart into thousands of little pieces. A sudden realization came over her: _Terry will never forget Candy… he will never love her, Susanna… _She felt as if she was suddenly hit over the head with a very heavy object. She covered her mouth and remained stock-still looking at him unable to think or say anything.

A movement to her right caught her attention and she turned to see a female figure emerge from the fog and approaching Terry, in a slow but steady pace. She was getting clearer as she was getting closer and finally Susanna could make out her bob of red locks and arrogant looking face. She had the distinct feeling she had seen this woman before, but she could not place her. The woman went and stood in front of Terry looking down at him with a smile Susanna could hardly describe as friendly. Terry lifted his head and looked at her and it was evident that this was not a face he would want to see in the best of times let alone now.

"Well, if it isn't E-lizard Rangan! " he said and his once sturdy voice that had wowed audiences from the stages of Broadway sounded as thought it had battled its way out of his throat.

"Well, Terrence Grandchester, you cut such a sorry sight!" she said impertinently.

"And so you came to gloat about my sorry sight?"

"No. I came to get you out of it."

A harsh laugh left Terry's lips upon hearing this, which also caused him another cough feat. The red headed girl watched him trying to control it, with an expression that, Susanna thought, was just about bordering concern.

"Come" she said. "I'll take you to a doctor"

"What do you want Eliza?" Terry asked sounding impatient.

"To help you…"

"The only think you can do that will help me is to disappear from my sight…"

"You won't discourage me easily, my darling Terrence" she said smiling arrogantly. "I know deep down you are happy to see me. I can get you out of the grip that pathetic crippled little wife of yours has on you, in no time". Susanna was liking this girl less and less by the second. "Although I suppose I should be thanking her really" Eliza continued. "She got rid of Candy so easily it was admirable. I had tried my darnest to get rid of her for years without such delightful results and the cripple did it so easily not once but twice…"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Terry asked the question for Susanna. She could not make sense of what Eliza was saying either.

"Well, first she got rid of Candy so she can marry you, then she sent her to France…!" Upon seeing Terry's bewildered face Eliza let out a short laugh: "Soon after learning that you got married, darling Candy decided the best place to get over you was a trench in the middle of a battlefield in France so she went there as a volunteer nurse…"

"Candy is at the war?" Terry asked sitting up straight, his face turning even paler.

"Candy is dead" Eliza said coldly although there was a hint of inner pleasure in her voice. Susanna's breath got caught in her chest upon hearing this and her heart missed a few beats as she watched the remnants of any color left on Terry's face draining slowly leaving him ashen-faced, looking at Eliza with wild eyes.

"You are lying!" Terry breathed.

"I am not! Some French soldier got blasted in the middle of a battle and she stupidly decided she should go and get him back in the trench. So she got blasted too…"

"YOU ARE LYING!" he yelled wildly. He mustered all his remaining strength and stood up, then grabbed Eliza by her elbows and shook her violently.

She jerked away from him shaking with suppressed anger. "I am not lying! Your precious Candy is dead! She took my darling brother and my dear cousin with her, too! Both idiots decided that she should not be in the war and went to bring her back soon after she left for France! When they found out what had happened to her and that whoever the hell was in charge there had ordered all the casualties to remain on the battlefield because he could not afford to loose anyone else they decided they were going to get her anyway! So they got blasted too…"

"Oh my God" Susanna didn't want to believe what this girl was saying so she turned to the Spirit. She saw the answer to her question on his face before she even asked it. _Candy was dead…and two other people too… _she found it hard to control her sobs again. She turned and looked at Terry who looked ready to collapse. But Eliza was not done yet.

"Oh there is more! Archie's dim-witted fiancé jumped in the lake and drown herself when she found out he and Candy were dead, that Patricia locked herself in an Abbey and our poor Aunt Elroy died of broken heart at having now lost all her grandsons because of darling Candy! Or is it because of your crippled wife? She was the one who started it all, wasn't she? Frankly, I am not sure which one I hate the most now, stable girl or cripple girl… but since stable girl is dead anyway, cripple girl is top of my hit list at the moment… _Terry_!"

Terry obviously had heard enough because he had suddenly turned away from Eliza and was walking as fast as his condition would allow him away from her without knowing where he was going. Susannah followed him and remarkably she was able to keep up with him even though she could have not match his pace under normal circumstances.

"Not my Candy, no… NO!" Terry repeated over and over again, weeping inconsolably breaking Susanna's heart even more. "No, no…" he broke into a run but again she was able to keep up with him. She wanted to reach him, to take him in her arms and console him… _his soul mate was dead…_ somehow she could feel all his pain in her soul and it was unbearable!

Terry stopped by a lamppost and wrapping an arm around it he tried to remain standing; but his strength abandoned him and only a few seconds later he slid on the ground leaning on the post for support, unable to control his weeping. Susanna stood next to him and reached out a hand to touch his shoulder but at that moment he threw his head back and a wail so loud and mournful tore out of his chest shuttering the eerie silence of the foggy park, Susanna covered her ears and screaming herself she turned away from the scene and begged the Spirit to take her away.

All at once she felt the change of scenery and opened her eyes. They were at her house looking at her future self, sitting in her wheelchair. This time she was alone in the room. She was sitting awkwardly and Susanna realized that her pressure woods would have only become worst by the passing time. Her hair hung lank over her shoulders and she was unnaturally pale and painfully thin. She was holding a cup of tea in her hands and when she lifted it to her lips Susanna gasped to see the blood that was seeping through the heavy bandages on her wrists. She turned her back on the scene, shaking. "Let's go… please…" she begged, crying once more. "I've seen enough, take me back home".

She was hoping the Spirit was granting her wish but she was wrong. Next they were in some smelly back street she did not recognize but it could only be somewhere around Broadway – she could make out a couple of stage doors down the road. It was very cold and it was drizzling heavily. The Spirit pointed to her left and she turned to see a knot of people around someone that was laying on the ground. Someone left the group at a run saying he was going to bring a doctor.

"Oh, my God" Susanna whispered dread filling her heart like never before. "Who is it?" She started going towards the congregation as fast as her crutches would carry her, her dread rising with every step she was taking.

"What a terrible, _terrible _waste of life" she heard a man saying as she was getting closer. "He was not even 20 yet… and so talented… so promising… terrible, _terrible_…"

As if they heard her approaching the men in front of her stepped aside and she was able to see him. She threw her crutches and kneeled on the ground next to him. The world around her went completely still and quiet and for a few moments she could only hear her own heavy breathing… then the air was filled with her cries as she frantically tried to revive him crying his name out again and again.

She felt a tag on her arm but she brushed whoever it was aside, still holding Terry's head in her arms, her grieving inconsolable. She had forgotten the circumstances under which she was there, nothing mattered anymore apart from the fact that she was holding a dead Terry in her arms.

Suddenly the whole scene around her dissolved. Dead Terry had disappeared from her arms, as had the people around them. It was a sunny and warm day; she was still sitting on the ground but now she was in some kind of a field, with the greenest grass she had ever seen; flowers in neat little bouquets were laying on the ground all over the place. She lifted her head and looked at the Spirit, still grief-stricken by what she had just experienced.

The Spirit beckoned her to get up. "We have one more think to see", he said.

"Well, let's not miss it then!" she managed to say bitterly through her weeping. "Nothing can be worse than Terry's death!"

He did not answer her but started walking and by looking at him and his surroundings she realized they were in a graveyard. A short, sarcastic laugh escaped her lips. "I should have been in one of these graves long time ago!" she burst out suddenly. "Why didn't those lights kill me? Why did Candy not let me end it all that night?" Fresh sobs were shaking her whole body. "Nothing good came out of me staying alive! Nothing good will come in the future either as you and your friends very kindly showed me tonight! I saved his life, what for? He will still die a few short years from now" she curled up on the ground still submerged in the grief Terry's death had plunged her in.

She did not know how long she had stayed there grieving when she felt the Spirit's gentle touch on her shoulder. She raised her head and looked at him.

"It does not have to end this way Susanna, you know that" was all he said and the realization hit her that she alone could stop all those terrible things he had shown her from happening. She wiped her tears with the back of her hands and nodded slowly a few times. She then pushed herself up. The Spirit tried to help her but she brushed his hand aside.

"I can manage, …" she said, and she finally was upright again leaning on her crutches. She followed him a few steps down a little path then stopped next to him and looked at the grave he was pointing at. She let out a short laugh to read her name on the gravestone, but what amazed her most was a date some 60 years into the future next to her birth date. She threw her head back and laughed a bitter laugh that echoed all over the graveyard.

"After all this, _I _will leave another 60 years???"

She was not sure what she wanted to hear for an answer but at that moment she heard footsteps behind her and turned to see two women walking by, chatting animatedly. As they passed her grave one of them pointed at it.

"Oh, this is where they buried that Susanna Marlowe woman!"

"Who was she?" the other one asked curiously.

"Did you not read the paper last week? She was that old crone that leaved in the nuthouse down the road for the past 60 years. The paper said that she was the only known person to have spent such a long time in an asylum, without actually being mad as such!"

"Wow, what a way to be remembered by!"

"I know! And to think that she was such a talented and promising actress once…! She could have been one of the greatest Broadway actresses ever, if only she didn't refuse to help herself out of plain obstinacy! Anyway, she got what she deserved if you ask me!"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, during the prime of her career, she had a nasty accident and she had to have a leg amputated in order to be kept alive. During the accident she saved someone's life that she supposedly loved very much so afterwards she demanded he married her because he owed her! He evidently felt he had some kind of duty towards her, because he complied with her request but he had to break up with his girlfriend in order to do so, which was devastating to him and led him to alcohol.

"Now, if it was you, wouldn't you have tried to put a prosthetic leg on and rebuild your life and career? She didn't, she just sat in her wheelchair one day and never got off it again, quite literally! He tried to help her out but she just would not listen to reason and she continued sitting on her chair doing nothing! I guess she was afraid that if she'd become independent he would leave her and go back to his ex".

"It sounds like she never had him in the first place, if he was in love with his ex!"

"Exactly! Well, that other girl went to France after that – oh, this was all happening during World War 1 – as a nurse and recklessly threw herself in the battlefield trying to help some wounded soldier but they both got killed. That was it for him, after he found out. He was very passionate about the theatre and an extremely talented actor but he abandoned it all and turned into a drunkard again pretty fast. They found him dead in the gutter one Christmas morning a couple of years later. He was sick too, but he just did not care. Susanna was locked up in that nuthouse two days _before _his funeral and had been in there ever since. Which of course killed her mother as she was her only daughter and she could not bear to have her in there. So that's three lives she destroyed for no particular reason and that does not even include hers!"

"What a terrible waste of lives!"

"That's why I think she got what she deserved! Just imagine having to live all these years knowing that you destroyed your life and so many others including the one you supposedly love so much…! Their memory alone would be enough to drive one mad! They say she suffered terrible nightmares till the very end, where she would just wake up screaming different names in the middle of the nights and only the stronger sedatives would calm her down. Served her right too! She was the most pathetic person I have ever heard of!"

Susanna collapsed on the ground again sobbing uncontrollably. She did not even notice the Spirit touching her shoulder or the floating through the cloud that took them back to her bedroom. The Spirit didn't speak to her for a long time and she though he had gone until she raised her head and saw him observing her.

"I repeat, it does not have to end this way Susanna" he said in a low voice. "You admirably saved Terry's life but the price you demanded was too high and not just for him. Candy gave up all her hopes and dreams for a happy future with Terry that night in the hospital – and I believe you would agree that she deserved some happiness after everything she had been through. But she gave it all up just to help you… whilst you gave all your hopes and dreams up for… what?"

She did not answer but just looked at him sadly.

"Now, even if you don't care about Candy or any of those people that died with her, think about what kind of existence you want for Terry… what kind of existence you want for yourself… how do you want to be remembered as… the answers should lead you to the right choice. You have the power to make so many people happy…"

She closed her eyes for a moment and all the terrible images she had seen tonight flashed through her mind in an instant. She shook her head to dispel them, then she opened her eyes and turned to look at the Spirit but whether it was from the tears in her eyes or because his job was done, he was not there anymore…

Susanna slammed back in her pillows and sobbed her heart out…


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**  
_**by Annie Brighton**_

Suzanna cried very hard that night. She couldn't stop. And besides she started to realize more or less unconsciously that she didn't really want to stop...Why? She tried hard to wonder, ? Why can't I just stop crying and forget about all this stupid story of Christmas spirits telling about nonsense? Why? Because...She kept crying, overwhelmed with dread...grief...horror...and...and...Remorse! Yes, she knew now: that was it. That was the reason why she had been crying and crying all night since the departure of the spirits, that was the reason why she had been unable to sleep even for a single minute...

For the first time in her existence Suzanna was thinking about her life without being completely blinded by her love for Terry...Her love? Was it love? Love was what? Love was...It was too difficult to admit what love was...certainly .or to define?...or...well ...I love Terry with all my soul I...don't I? I saved him, I was ready to die for him...to save his life...Had I died I wouldn't have regretted what I did...never...Terry must live...Terry...He was going to die if...And it will be my fault...because I am...I am...He drinks and he is going to be alcoholic...Each day I saw the sadness and despair in his eyes...But I didn't want to see it...I didn't...Terry my love I don't want you to die I couldn't bear it...Suzanna saw again and again the awful vision of the future the spirit had shown her...She was in tears and for the first time in her life she didn't shed selfish tears..."I was so selfish!" she cried out loud upset..."Forgive me! Forgive me Terry! " Hadn't she be an invalid she would have knelt to ask the Lord to light the way for her, to ask for help and for forgiveness above all...She realized that she couldn't even kneel to beseech the Lord 's forgiveness...But she could ...she could pray...And that was what she did ,so…She was there, lying on her bed, crying silently now ,and she was asking the Lord to help her...She saw Candy again...Candy saving her from committing suicide, Candy gently telling her to make Terry happy, to be happy herself, Candy soothing her...Candy...."No!" Suzanna screamed horrified. Candy dying at war trying to save lives, knowing it was impossible...Candy committing suicide in fact...Yes Candy was so desperate that life didn't mean anything for her now...Suzanna realized...Now she saw again and again Candy running to death .Candy shot ...Dead! "No!" she screamed again .she shuddered , now she saw two young men looking for her...running...dying too! And she saw this young girl drowning herself as her own choice...entering the water...entering it more and more...slowly but surely...dying! She saw again the convent and this other nice young girl in it...for life...Another way to give up...to abandon the idea of life...She was cold and she didn't even manage to cry any longer now...It was awful...it was...And it was all because of her love...Her "love"...She couldn't help grin sarcastically, even almost sardonically..."Love!"...."My Lord, forgive me!" she then managed to beg "it wasn't love, I know that now, it was just selfishness."

Selfishness yes. That was why she was to become insane instead of being saved by death from a whole life in an lunatic asylum ...a mental home where she ,Suzanna ,would no exist any more ...she saw her again (or no, not her in fact, the crone who would exist instead ,fate having killed forever what she, Suzanna, would have been if...she saw her mother dying because of that...having died since years..".Mother! No! "I love you .You always loved me, you always helped me...I was wrong and for you I was right nevertheless...I could be nothing but right ...I was your beloved and unique daughter...I was your darling little Susie...Mother you were wrong to support me. I know it now .But I love you...I love you so much...You didn't deserve this...Even if...."Mother!"...She cried again now...She was cold ,frozen but she could cry....at least....She saw again the graveyard and the grave with her name after 60 years...She heard again the women's gossip about her...Awful...yes...but true alas...How right they were...

"My lord! help me" she implored. You were good enough to send me these three gentle spirits to show me what I needed to see to realize. Help me to do what I now know I must do. Help me redeem myself! I beg you! Help me too!

She prayed thus for a long time thinking about her life and having constantly before her eyes these awful and unbearable visions...And then when the morning came at last she knew exactly what she had to do. She knew too that after she will feel a bit better...At least she wanted to hope so...

"my Lord" she said solemnly "I swear I will do it. Thanks for sending me the Christmas Spirits ,thanks with all my soul for saving us all, them all...Terry my love...my "love"?...Terry I.... and me"

Yes she knew .And her decision was made.

She was going to have a prosthesis at .Too much time had been lost already, too much things had been wasted and ruined because of her only, of her crazy selfishness....And today was Christmas. She must begin a new life today because she wanted Terry to be given back his life for Christmas...I will have this prosthesis today, Terry ,and then I will come back here and I will tell you to go to her...and to forgive me one day if you can...perhaps...I love you and that's real love...I love you Terry. I hope perhaps you will believe me .and you will perhaps forgive my selfishness...Anyway I will love you forever...I will be a great actress...And...And...I will live ...I will have a life again...a normal life...and you too...And you will be happy...And you too ,Candy...

Suzanna managed to sit in her wheelchair ...It was a bit difficult by herself but she finally managed to. She reached the phone which was in her bedroom and dialed her doctor's number. She knew that it was Christmas, but it was because of it that it must be today! And her doctor was an old friend of hers. She knew that he won't say no ...At any rate she hope so...so eagerly...so sincerely...

"I understand, 't worry. I will do it. Come at once .You will have your prosthesis and you will walk today, I can assure you. Trust me for that. You know you can trust me, don't you,Suzanna?"

"Yes...Oh yes Damien I ...I know..."

She cried again...she couldn't help it...

"Don't worry. Everything will be .I 'll go to the emergency and I 'll wait for you."

"Thanks...Oh thank you so much for helping me...to helping us..."

She hung up the receiver, called a taxi, put as hastily as she could a warm cloak with a hood on her shoulders, added a warm scarf and gloves...

She was on her way to the big house's door when she saw him. He was back. For the first time in her life she really "looked "at him. That is why she realized deeply how sad ,forlorn and desperate he was..."Terry, forgive me" she thought...She didn't even know what to say...Not" Merry Christmas"...Christmas wasn't merry and it wasn't Christmas...It will be Christmas after...only after...Well she must say something...anything..."Hello " she managed to say finally...He looked up reluctantly ,distant as usual...She felt that he couldn't help feeling hate ,scorn and disgust for her even if somewhere ,at the same time, I felt sorry for her...But...But...He couldn't answer anything to her "casual" "Hello". What did "Hello" mean anyway? Nothing...No...He was too fed up even to say a "casual" "Hello" to anybody, and especially to her, today...He entered the library as usual...My Lord was it even worth living like that?...

For the first time in her life she really understood him".Oh Terry" she thought" Terry my..."Could she use the word "love"? She wondered...She was upset, she regretted bitterly and sincerely...She cried again making her way to the house door.

The taxi was there. The driver helped her getting into the car .Remorse was still eating away at her. But oh how she hope delivery will be there soon!

The taxi stopped. They had reached the emergency room. Already her old friend was there for her...her doctor and her saviour...he gently helped her out the taxi , and paid the fare. A wheelchair was there for her. He gently sat her in it and before she had time to realize they were in his private consulting- room. He was not only a doctor but the manager of the hospital. So anything was possible even today...

"Damien ...er...Excuse me I mean Doctor..." she began to try to explain...to say...

He gently stopped her."I know Suzanna, I know...And please no "Doctor" with me...We are old friends, aren't we?"

She nodded....He saw how upset she was. How changed she was too...How many time had he told her about this prosthesis, he thought...he was relieved she wanted it at last...He...

This being said he did everything necessary and she had her prosthesis at last...

"Now" he said "try to ."He explained her how to do, what she must do ...

She hardly could believe she was going to be able to walk again....It was so difficult to believe...But she trusted him. And she really wanted to. She needed to. It was necessary. It was...Not only for herself but for Terry's sake, for her mother's sake, for the sake of all these future...No it won't be! It won't happen! She was going to walk right now. And then....and then she would come back home, free Terry from his guilt and sense of duty and so on and they all would begin to live again...

She tried and she made it! Yes she could walk! She could walk! It was wonderful! It was..."Oh my Lord, thanks for that!" she truly thought, sincerely and forever grateful to God ...And also to her old friend of course...In her joy she spontaneously hugged him. And he hugged her too...relieved for his old friend....

Oh my Lord how happy I am! I am walking! Everything is possible". I am walking..."Suzanna could only kept saying in wonder! Bliss was there. Remorse too, but she was going to do what she must have done long ago...Now....And it would be Christmas not only today but also forever for her and for them all....and above all for Terry...her "love"?...

"I am living" Suzanna finally said.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**  
_**by Gentillefille**_

She was at the market buying stuff to make a nice meal. Terry was home and she hadn't gone back home yet. She was happy she could walk again. You take most of the things we can do for granted, until we can't do it anymore… She missed walking and was very happy she was able to walk again. She took a cab to Robert Hathaway's personal residence. The butler let her in and Hathaway arrived to greet her.

- Susanna? He said surprised

- Mr. Hathaway…

- You're walking! He yelled loud

- Yes!!! Said Susanna walking to him and smiling

He hugged her hard!

- OH MY GOD! This is marvellous! I've always felt bad about the accident which happened under my supervision…

- It was an accident…

- I lost my favourite actress…

- I'm back now, if you still want me..

- Are you kidding? My favourite actress is back? That's the best Christmas present ever! Thank you Susanna

- No Thank you, Mr. Hathaway and for compensating me while I was not working…

- It was the right thing to do…

- Merry Christmas, Mr. Hathaway

- Merry Christmas Susanna

They hugged and Susanna left the Hathaway went back home and she started signing and preparing the meal with the help of the maid, who was stunned to see her walk. The maid had prepared a light snack for Terry and was taking it to him.

- Is that for Master Terrence? Let me take it to him, you take care of the mean

- Very well Miss Marlowe…

Susanna took the tray and walked to Terry's study. She knocked on the door.

- Come in Lucy! He said put it on my desk

Susanna got in and Terry had his back turned, she put the tray on the desk.

- Thank you Lucy, said Terry

- It's not Lucy, said Susanna

Terry turned around stunned… his mouth was opened

- Susanna, you're walking? He said

- Since this morning…

Terry's face was illuminated. He was happy. What a wonderful Christmas present. He instinctely took her in his arms and turned around with her laughing with her.

- That's wonderful Susanna! I'm so happy for you!

- Not happier than me! She said hugging him hard

She looked for his lips and kissed him passionately… Terry was surprised but he didn't push her away… when she was done she let go of him…

- I love you Terry, I will always love you…

- Susanna…

- Let me finish. That kiss was our first real kiss and also our last one…

- Last one?

- I'm letting you go, Terry…You're free, free to go to her…

- Her…?

- Candy, you still love her and you'll always will. I thought in time you'll end up loving me, but it's no use. It's a waste of time for me and for you, we're making each other miserable. I don't want to be sad anymore, I don't want you to be sad anymore… I want you to be happy and Candy is the one who makes you happy. I remember the passion you had when you were writing her, there was this fire in your eyes… that fire was out the day she left you to me and it never came back… I want you to have that fire back even if it means you have to be with her… I want you to live to your potential Terry, you're the best actor I've ever worked with, you're a natural…My Christmas gift to you this year, is your freedom, don't wait, go to her! You might get there on time for the Christmas dinner.

- I don't know what to say, said Terry, I'm fulfilling my duty to you…

- I don't want to be your…"duty" it makes me sound like an object you're stuck with… I deserve better than a man who's with me for "duty and obligations". I saved your life, I'll need a favour one day and I'll come and collect…

Terry smiled. He was free, he couldn't believe it. He wanted to go pack his things.

- I told the maid to pack your things this morning before I left, all you have to do is get in your car and go find her… good luck Terry.

- Thank you Susanna

"_Hopefully my sacrifice will prevent the chain reaction of horrible events…"_

Terry went in the hall way to get his coat, when the maid opened the door to Christmas Carol singers… Susanna heard them and went to the door smiling. She sang with them and she gave them money.

- That's a 180! Said the young woman who was with the children, you were so mean last night!

- Yet you came back, said Susanna

- We were hoping the Christmas spirit rubbed off on you…

- It did! Said Susanna Merry Christmas!

- Merry Christmas!!! Said the carollers

Terry was getting his bags…

"I know that voice, he said to himself"

He walked to the door…

- Patricia Obrien? He said

- Terry! Said Patty smiling

- What are you doing in New York?

- I'm with Candy and her family, they came to New York to celebrate the holidays…

- Really?

- Yes… You've got a suitcase, going some where?

- Yes, I'm leaving… I'm going to stay at my mother's until I found an apartment after the holidays…

- Oh…, said Patty, you're leaving your…friend? Does Candy know?

- Not yet…, said Terry

- You better go to her fast, said Susanna, let her know you're free, before it's too late…

- What are you talking about Susanna? Said Terry

- Nothing, just go to her as soon as possible! And give her this from me. Good bye Terry.

- Thank you. Good bye Susanna, Merry Christmas

- Merry Christmas!

Terry left with Patty and the carollers. Susanna closed the door on her life with Terry for good this time. She went back to the kitchen and she got the visit from Damien and a few of her childhood friends… She was happy, she was moving on. She had let Terry go, so the doom and gloom was not going to happen. That was enough to cheer her up for 10 lifelines to come.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**  
_**by Candylyna**_

Candy was at the New York Mansion, resting. She had been working day in and day out to keep her mind busy. They were in New York because the Great Aunt wanted to meet with other members of the family living in New York. Candy was in her room, brushing her hair. She was wearing a red dress and her long thick blond and wavy hair were falling on her shoulders. The day before, she had gone with Albert to give donations to orphanages and she had sent donation to the Pony home. There was a knock on the door.

- Candy?

It was Albert.

- Come in !

- Hi little one! How are you?

- Sad…I'm thinking about what could've been if I had married Terry… we would've had a family of our own, preparing for Christmas…

- Candy…

- I can't help it… I have to move on, but I can't get him out of my head…I need to do something to occupy my mind

- You're already working overtime…

- I was thinking about the war…

- No! You can't put yourself in danger like that because of a broken heart!

- Why not? I'm dead anyway without him…

- Candy, please… it's Christmas, can you not think about the war just for today?

- All right. I'm sorry I'm not in a good mood tonight…

- Let's go downstairs the guests are arriving…

- All right.

- You look beautiful

- Thank you, said Candy smiling, I hope you didn't set me up with some guy again

- What? I just want you to keep your options open…

- Albert, all I have in my mind is Terry…

Candy and Albert arrived the big living room. She saw Annie and Patty from afar and she walked to them. They were with a young man

- Candy! Said Annie, this is Gary Parker, a young attorney from Andrew Enterprises…

"Not another one!" Said Candy in her head

- I'm pleased to meet you! He said

- Pleased to meet you too! She said

Gary had short blond hair and he looked nice. But Candy couldn't think at that moment. All she wanted to do is run away

- Candy, said Patty, how are you?

- I'm a little tired…

- No kidding! Said Annie you're killing yourself at work…

- I need some fresh air , said Candy

Patty didn't want her to go.

- Candy, wait…

- For what?

- Eleonor Baker is here, let's go say hi… didn't you told me one day you met her in Scotland?

"Scotland", when Candy heard that, her mind was gone to the wonderful summer with Terry… Terry…

- Yes, I did, she said, all right let's go say hi and then can I go get some fresh air

- Anything after that, said Patty smiling.

Candy walked with Patty followed by Archie and Annie who wanted to see Eleonor Baker too. They all arrived at the door, where Eleonor Baker was taking off her very nice black coat, with a hat and scarf assorted, revealing a very beautiful light blue evening gown. Her hair was held in a nice up do and it seemed like it was sculpted on her head.

- Hello, said Candy smiling

- Candy! Said Eleonor smiling, what a nice surprise!

- Miss Baker, it's good to see you, she said hugging her…

- Likewise! Honey, Candy is here… Honey? Said Eleonor

"Honey" appeared and everybody aside from Patty, was surprised. He approached them.

- Terry! Said everybody…

- Good evening everybody, said Terry smiling

Candy thought the room was spinning around her… why was Terry there in front of her. They were looking at each other stunned.

- Hey! Said Patty, you two are standing under the mistletoe… come on we need a smooch…

Candy and Terry looked up and looked at each other. Terry leaned, took her in his arms and he kissed her softly and passionate… Candy thought she was hallucinating and she responded to the kiss she's been dreaming about for years. Terry had the woman he loved in his arms and he just took advantage of every single second… After what happened to them, he was not going to take anything for granted anymore. When they finally stopped…

- Merry Christmas Freckles…

- My name is Candice White Andrew, how many times to I have to repeat that to you?! Merry Christmas, Romeo…

They burst out laughing.

- What are you doing here? Asked Candy

- I came to a Christmas party with my mother…

- What about Susanna?

- We're no longer together…

- What? But…

- That was her Christmas present to me…

- Oh…

He took Candy by the arm and they walked together to the study. Candy closed the door. Terry gave her Susanna's note.

- She gave me this for you…

- Thank you, said Susanna

Candy read the note.

_Dear Candy,_

_I'm writing you to tell you that our deal is off. Terry is in love with you and he will never love me. But don't worry about me anymore. I have a prosthesis, I'm walking again and I'll be back on stage. Life is too short to waste time with the wrong person. I deserve better and I'm going to get better. My turn to say it, take good care of him you know him better than anybody in this world._

_Merry Christmas_

Susanna

Candy is speechless, but she was in position to argue… She turned to Terry and hugged him and they kissed again and again.

- I love you Terry! She said I never told you, but I love you

- I know, I love you too, Candy… will you marry me?

- Yes, Terry I'll marry you! Oh my God! I can't believe what's happening! I got my Christmas miracle! I got my Terry back for good!!!

- I got my freckles back! I love you!!!!

They started making plans for the future. They were not going to take anything for granted anymore. Life can be full of surprises sometimes. Sometimes one person can make the difference between life and death by making the correct decision… Susanna Marlowe, after the worst nightmare of her life, woke up with a new resolution and decided to make people feel good for a change and become independent, she took her life back into her own hands and she made the difference for Candy, Terry, and all her friends.

Doing the right thing was definitely better than doing things selfishly without thinking about the consequences… Three different spirits took it upon themselves to show Susanna Marlowe the reality of her situation and they eventually managed to make her make the right decision when she woke up… she now had her whole life in front of her like Candy and Terry had theirs… an unwritten future, blank pages they had to fill with their future lives together with their family and friends.

**THE END**


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